(TV) Dc Show Set list review partx

[fiftyfivefives@comcast.net]

I tried to post this earlier, but suffered some technical difficulties
(Thanks to Mr. Obbard for straightening them out). Sorry if this is now
the tenth review/set list posted.
 
First of all, if there was anyone recording this show (and tonight I'm
praying there was) the most appropriate title is "Tom Smiles".  The
crowd in DC, was very enthusiastic to see Television, and every song was
greeted with lengthy applause and cat calls. I don't know if this is
always the case, but the audience in Chicago 2001 was much more subdued.
The overall effect of this, oddly enough was to actually wrestle out
some banter from Verlaine himself, who thanked the audience and cracked
wise between songs.  I've tried to preserve this in the set list, though
I'm paraphrasing here.  There was also an abundance of smiling by the
bandleader, and contrary to reports of other shows he looked to be
having the most fun up there.
 
This was also the night of the wildly extended outro, as if to
compensate for Lloyd, who shredded his guitar to pieces in the opening
numbers, but started playing his solos straight (close to the recorded
versions) around midway through.  The club sound was excellent, and the
positive atmosphere wholly accepted the frequent ambient and abstract
noises the guitarists produced. 
 
Normally a 9:30 Club show starts at 9:30, when the opening band takes
the stage, but tonight it was just Television, taking on a fresh crowd
eager to see them. 
 
 
Set List
(Television takes stage 9:00-9:05)
1. Swells
            Longer and more abstract then what I heard before.
 
2. 1880 or So
            A rocking version that had the audience cheering for quite
some time.
 
            TV: "Now we're going to rehearse one"
3. New song (Balloon?)
            Peter Gunn riff sort of, mentioned before.
 
            TV: "That was our rehearsal."
4. Venus
5. Call Mr. Lee
6. Beauty Trip
7. "Newie"
            Interesting, recycling the "Fuck Rock 'N Roll" riff, but
Hell, someone had to use it :-)
 
8. See No Evil
            Richard starts to stick to the script (in terms of soloing)
 
            TV: "Is it too dark in here? (audience responds "no") Cause
its too dark for me to see the fret board and I'm hitting all the wrong
notes. Could you please raise the house lights?"
9. Prove It
10. Return of the Swells/Rocket/Rhyme
            The swells start up again, before diving into Rocket.  The
guitar duel takes a more ambient tone then other versions I've heard,
after Lloyds explosive bit here, he stays more to the script in terms of
his solos until the encore. 
            Rocket then crashes into Rhyme, which after the preceding
duel is an almost jarring transition, Rhyme being played as a bit of a
taught lounge act.  The song moves slow, and Verlaine tries to work up
to the "Make's me want to. SCREAM AND SHOUT" but never gets there.  
            TV: "Makes me wanna."  
            (band crashes)
            TV:  "When I see you, makes me wanna."
            (band crashes)
He gives it one more go:
            TV: "You wanna? (audience laughs, its funny) "I mean. who
wouldn't wanna?"
But unable to get into final line they instead beautifully transition
into:
 
11. Persia
            whose almost sadistic guitar lines are enough to keep the
crowd satisfied.  
12. "Bass trouble"/Marquee Moon
            The band moves about mysteriously on stage when Tom starts
the opening bars of Marquee Moon, but Fred's bass becomes disconnected,
Tom laughs at the "Bass Trouble", they then kick into Marquee Moon. You
know the drill, two outros.
 
Encore
(10:36)
1. Little Johnny Jewel
            Everything's normal (albeit compact) up until the end of the
second solo, where the main theme is supposed to kick in.  But Tom's
playing has been subdued, and instead bypasses it and goes right into
the final verse.  After "wink your eye" the band breaks into the finest
outros of the evening.  Tom starts with some gentle guitar work, then
Richard joins in, lightly playing the underlying chords of the second
solo, and together they play through the first bars of the second solo
in a somber manner that totally befits the tone of the song. 
 
2. Glory
            A very sloppy version, but more than saved by a great outro.
Tom rides the final notes into an entirely different and uncharted
territory.  Lloyd listens for a moment before smiling to himself, he
then throws a simple chord progression/riff under Tom's solo and it fits
perfectly.  Afterwards they're both smiling, and Lloyd's right back in
the game. 
 
3. Psychotic Reaction
           starts off standard enough, the solo features Richard
shredding the guitar with the same ferocity he did earlier in the night.
The second verse falls apart into a bluesy bit, but the band was having
so much fun with it you couldn't go away unhappy. 
(finished 10:56)
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